"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea."
Revelation 21:1

Lesson
#8VIEWS OF HEAVEN

God has a plan to restore "all things" to their Edenic perfection.
This hope has been held out to the human race-lost in sin and insecurity by
"all His holy prophets since the world began" (Acts 3:21). Yes,
from Moses right down through John, the promise of a better world has brought cheer to man-like a bright morning star burning on the gray horizon.
At the center of that plan of restoration is a divine person, Jesus. He is
called, by Peter, "the day star" of hope (2 Peter 1:19). When
He came to earth He said that the "Son of man is come to seek and to save
that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). Let us see:

1: WHAT FOUR TREASURES DID GOD GIVE TO MAN AT CREATION?

1. Life.

Genesis
2:7"The Lord God formed man of the dust
of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life: and man became
a living soul."

In the beginning man was given life. He was created from the
dust of the ground. God breathed into his nostril the breath of life. He became
"a living soul" (Genesis 2:7). Man had not existed before. He
did not created himself. For his very existence he was indebted to God - only to
God.

2. A righteous nature.

Genesis
1:26"God said, Let us make man in Our
image, after Our likeness."

Ecclesiastes
7:29"God hath made man upright."

God gave Adam, the first man, a righteous nature. Surely a
good, wise, and all-powerful God would do no less than that. A good God would
desire to make a good man. And this is exactly what He did. Adam and Eve, our
first ancestors (Luke 3:38), were innocent and pure when they came forth
from the hand of their Creator.

3. A home in a beautiful world.

Genesis 2:8-9"The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden;
and there He put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord
God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food."

Genesis 1:31"God
saw every thing He had
made, and, behold, it was very good."

Yes, God gave man a home, in a garden, in a lovely primeval world. This is no
more and no less than we would expect God to do. He is the author of the home
and marriage, of beauty and happiness. Security was to be bound up with the home
and family life.

4. Dominion of the earth.

Genesis 1:28 "God blessed them, and God said unto them,
Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have
dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every
living thing that moveth upon the earth."

God gave man dominion. Although
man was made "a little lower than the angels," yet he was equipped
with intelligence and management, that he might be in charge of God's creation
here (Psalm 8:5-6).

What an outlook! Life with abundant health: a righteous
character: a home in a beautiful, sinless world; and dominion over the created
works of God! What more could man desire? Just one thing - that this happy state
might last forever!

And that depended upon man. For God placed him under
obedience to law as an indispensable condition of his very existence.

Furthermore, God gave to man the power and freedom of choice. Only in this
way could man be a morally responsible being. Only thus could he develop
character. "Obedience, perfect and perpetual, was the condition of eternal
happiness." In God's order, obedience springs from love and is rendered by
choice. But it is, nevertheless, imperative.

A special test was arranged. A certain tree was to be left strictly alone (Genesis
2:8-9, 15-17) What an easy test! No great deed, work, or sacrifice was
required. There could be no possible reason for transgression. The very
lightness of the prohibition would make the sin great. If man sinned, it would
be deliberate. God could not be blamed, for He had told them to leave the tree
alone. They must have understood this to be a simple test of their faith -
nothing
more. But we all know what happened (Genesis 3).

2: HOW DID MAN LOSE THESE FOUR TREASURES?

By sin. And what reason can be given for man's sin? None. To give a reason
would be to justify the deed. Only excuses and explanations can be offered.

A little neighbor boy sat on the front steps finishing up a cry with slowly
subsiding sniffles. "What's the matter, sonny?" I asked. "Daddy
whipped me," he meekly replied. "And why did he do that?" I
inquired. "'Cause I was naughty," he answered. "But why were you
naughty?" His reply was typically human, "My brother, Kenneth, made me
naughty."

Yes, that is the way it is. Adam blamed God for giving him Eve. Eve blamed
the serpent for everything, She had listened to his story about getting on a
higher plane, about being like gods. Many today are being lured by the ancient
sophistries of the devil, streamlined for moderns.

1 Timothy 2:14"Adam
was not deceived, but the woman
being deceived was in the transgression."

There was no need for Eve to be deceived. She had to reject God's truth
first, before she could accept the devil's deception. Had God not given her
truth, the situation would have been different, Adam was not deceived. He walked
into sin with his eyes open, taking the risk and hoping God would be merciful.
He made an excuse of Eve. He loved her more than he did God. And what tragedy
resulted! It is always disastrous to disobey God. Adam gambled and lost, And
what did he lose? all that God gave him.

As the result of his sin he was removed from access to the tree of life, lest
he should "eat, and live for ever" (Genesis 3:22), Man was not
immortal by nature or creation. Sin, God warned, would bring death, not life.
"All the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he
died" (Genesis 5:5). Sin is real: and death is real. God says so.
The devil disputed God's Word. Man found God's Word is right.

2. Man lost his righteous nature.

Romans 5:12"By
one man sin entered into
the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned."

1 John 5:17 "All unrighteousness is sin,"

The unnumbered volumes of history record the deeds of man's
sinful career for long millenniums. No words need be added here. Adam lost his
righteous nature.

3. Man lost his Eden home.

Genesis 3:23-24"Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the
garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. So He drove out the
man; and He placed at the east of the garden cherubims, and a flaming sword
which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life."

4. Man lost his dominion.

2 Peter 2:19 "Of whom a man
is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage,"

2 Corinthians 4:4 "The god of this world hath
blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious
gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

Having cast off the dominion God had over him, man lost the
dominion God had placed under him. He was now in a world fallen to the dominion
of Satan.

A curse was also pronounced upon the earth for man's sake.
"Cursed is
the ground for thy sake: in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy
life" (Genesis 3: 17). Sinful man in a sinful world needed the
discipline of toil and care. No civilization has yet been able to endure ease
and luxury. Our civilization today is no exception. And yet the tired and weary
heart of man longs for the time of restoration to come when the dominion lost
through sin will be his once more.

3: HOW WILL CHRIST RESTORE THE FOUR TREASURES?

The Saviour came to earth
"to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10), He purchased our salvation by shedding His
"precious blood" (1 Peter 1:19). Then He returned to heaven,
"having obtained eternal redemption for us" (Hebrews 9:12),

Though every man is born in sin, no man has a right to place a low estimate
upon himself, God so valued man that He gave heaven's greatest gift for his
redemption. He could not have given more. Think now of the treasures that will
be restored to us through the gospel.

1. Life restored.

No matter how a man dies, God can raise him up. His ashes may be strewn on
the moving bosom of a river and carried to the bounds of seven seas, but God can
raise him up to everlasting life. Here are the promises of life restored by the
Lifegiver, Jesus Christ:

John 3:16 "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting
life,"

Romans
6:23"The gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord,"

2. Righteousness restored.

A sinner comes to God. His sins are confessed, forsaken, and forgiven. Love
is awakened in his soul, and the process of restoration begins. Sanctification
is another name for it. The work is done by the Spirit of God, and the Word of
God has a part. "Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy word is truth" (John
17:17). Cooperation with God is paramount in this process. Here are the
promises:

2 Corinthians 5:17"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is
a new creature: old things have passed away; behold. all things are become
new."

2 Corinthians 3:18"We all, with open face beholding as in a
glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to
glory, even as the Spirit of the Lord,"

3. Man's beautiful home restored.

Many an infidel, millions of skeptics, and some Christians have asked,
"Why doesn't a good and mighty God put an end to this cruel, suffering
world?" The answer is, "He is planning to do that very soon." The
first step will be Christ's second coming. The next and the last step will be
taken at the end of the 1,000 years, as you have studied. New heavens and a new
earth will be created, and God will dwell here with His people forever. Here are
the promises:

Acts 3:20-21"He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was
preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution
of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets since the
world began."

Isaiah 65:17"Behold,
I create new heavens and a new earth: and the
former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind."

4. Dominion restored.

We do not propose to speculate on the details of the future life. Its
loveliness will surpass our fondest dreams, its beauty will exceed the greatest
flight of our imagination, and its joys soar beyond our highest hopes. There,
man's lost mastery of himself and his dominion of the earth shall be restored as
God has promised.

Revelation 3:21"To him that overcometh will
I grant to sit with
Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His
throne,"

Matthew
25:21"I will make thee ruler over many
things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

4: A PICTURE OF THE BETTER WORLD

It is a glorious prospect, dear friend, almost too good to be true. But it is
real! Thank God, it is real; and it is coming soon, God's better world. Here are
six facts about the earth made new, where there will be freedom from fear, want,
worry, pain, and every evil. And there will be security over there -eternal
security.

1. The New Jerusalem, the capital city, comes down to earth.

Revelation 21:2"1 John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming
down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

2. God dwells with men in this city.

Revelation
21:3"I heard a great voice out of
heaven saying. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and
they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their
God."

3. There will be country life and useful labor.

Isaiah
65:21"They shall build houses, and
inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat of the fruit of
them."

4. There will be no pain, sorrow, crying, or death.

Revelation 21:4"God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death. neither sorrow. nor crying. neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Isaiah 33:24).

5. There will be life and beauty and song everywhere.

Isaiah 35:1, 6, 9-10"The wilderness and the solitary place
shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice. and blossom as the rose. .
Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in
the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. . No lion
shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be
found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: and the ransomed of the Lord
shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads:
they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away" (Isaiah 11:6-9).

6. The restoration will be perfect and complete.

1 Corinthians 2:9"Eye hath not seen, nor ear
heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love Him."

Nahum
1:9 "Affliction shall not rise up the
second time."

With such promises soon to be realized, how earnestly should
we seek to do the will of God!

5: HOW SHALL WE MAKE SURE OF A PLACE OVER THERE?

There are three important guideposts to help direct your feet as you journey
heavenward. Here they are:

1. Confess Christ before men.

Matthew 10:32"Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men,
him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven" (Luke 9:26).

2. Obey God's commands and instructions.

John 14:15"If ye love Me, keep My commandments,"

3. Keep an eye of faith on the better world.

Hebrews 11:13-14"These all died in faith, not having received
the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and
embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country."

Wendell Phillips delivered a lecture in Boston one cold November night.
Afterward he found that he had missed the train to his home, some twelve miles
away. He hired a carriage, His friends urged him to remain until the next day.
He said simply, "Ann Phillips is at the other end. I'll go home tonight,
thank you!" He would not disappoint his wife. We must not disappoint God
nor our loved ones and friends. They will be looking for us when that happy hour
comes.

The Bible tells us about three heavens. The first is the atmospheric heavens (Genesis
1:6-8). The second is the starry heavens (Psalm 19:16). The third
heaven is paradise to this earth. If God dwells in us now by faith, we may dwell
with Him forever then. It is a glorious future that God has planned for you and
me. Shall we meet over there and enjoy eternal security? It will be the answer
to a million dreams and hopes that life in this present evil world can never
afford!

BIBLE VIEWS
OF HEAVEN: SUPPLEMENT

"There the redeemed shall know, even as also they are known. The loves
and sympathies which God Himself has planted in the soul shall there find truest
and sweetest exercise. . There, immortal minds will contemplate with
never-failing delight the wonders of creative power, the mysteries of redeeming
love. There will be no cruel, deceiving foe to tempt to forgetfulness of God.
Every faculty will be developed, every capacity increased. The acquirement of
knowledge will not weary the mind or exhaust the energies. There the grandest
enterprises may be carried forward, the loftiest aspirations reached, the
highest ambitions realized; and still there will arise new heights to surmount,
new wonders to admire, new truths to comprehend, fresh objects to call forth the
powers of mind and soul and body.

"All the treasures of the universe will be open to the study of God's
redeemed. Unfettered by mortality, they wing their tireless flight to worlds
afar-worlds that thrilled with sorrow at the spectacle of human woe and rang
with songs of gladness at the tidings of a ransomed soul. With unutterable
delight the children of earth enter into the joy and the wisdom of unfallen
beings. They share the treasures of knowledge and understanding gained through
ages upon ages in contemplation of God's handiwork. With undimmed vision they
gaze upon the glory of creation, suns and stars and systems, all in their
appointed order circling the throne of Deity. Upon all things, from the least to
the greatest, the Creator's name is written, and in all are the riches of His
power displayed.

"And the years of eternity, as they roll, will bring richer and still
more glorious revelations of God and of Christ. As knowledge is progressive, so
will love, reverence, and happiness increase. The more men learn of God, the
greater will be their admiration of His character. As Jesus opens before them
the riches of redemption and the amazing achievements in the great controversy
with Satan, the hearts of the ransomed thrill with more fervent devotion, and
with more rapturous joy they sweep the harps of gold; and ten thousand times ten
thousand and thousands of thousands of voices unite to swell the mighty chorus
of praise.

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the
earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying,
Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the
throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever" (Revelation 5:13).

"The great controversy is ended. Sin and sinners are no more. The entire
universe is clean. One pulse of harmony and gladness beats through the vast
creation. From Him who created all, flow life and light and gladness, throughout
the realms of illimitable space. From the minutest atom to the greatest world,
all things, animate and inanimate, in their unshadowed beauty and perfect joy,
declare that God is love." Great Controversy, 677-678